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Obama Plays Down Issue of Tone

'We Don't Go Out of Bounds,' President Says, as He and Romney Spar Over Negative Campaign Ads, Tax Returns, Budget Stalemate

By

Carol E. Lee and

Sara Murray

Aug. 20, 2012 7:30 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama, in a surprise White House news conference Monday, said the tone of his re-election campaign has been within "bounds," but he distanced himself from a super PAC ad suggesting Republican rival Mitt Romney's business dealings contributed to a woman's death from cancer because she lost her health insurance.

Mr. Obama, who hadn't taken questions from White House reporters in about two months,...